Died 1996 | ||
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Books Black Britannia: A History of Blacks in Britain, Global African Presence | ||
Dr. Edward Vivian Scobie (1918 – 14 November 1996) was a Dominican-born journalist, magazine publisher and historian. He is best known for his research into the black history of Western Europe and his 1972 seminal book Black Britannia: A History of Blacks in Britain.
Early life and career
Scobie was born Vivian Edward George Dalrymple in Roseau, Dominica. He was educated at the Dominica Grammar School. At school, he displayed an aptitude for athletics, eventually representing the national teams in cricket and football. He first went to England during World War II to join the Royal Air Force, where he served as a pilot in Bomber Command, holding the rank of flight lieutenant. After the war Scobie became a correspondent for the Chicago Defender and other Johnson Publishing Company titles with a largely African-American readership.
In 1948, Scobie published Checkers, calling itself "Britain’s Premier Negro Magazine"; the magazine only lasted five issues, folding in January 1949. By 1960 he joined with Charles I. Ross and Patrick Williams to produce monthly magazine Tropic. Published in London, the magazine announced that it intended to be "the voice of 250,000 coloured people in Britain", aligning itself with "coloured people everywhere in their struggle for Independence. In their fight to live with dignity and freedom". In addition to covering politics and current affairs in Britain, Africa and the Caribbean the magazine published short stories by the likes of Samuel Selvon, Jan Carew and included among its contributors George Lamming and Donald Hinds. Tropic ceased publication at the end of 1960. In September 1961 Scobie launched Flamingo, which he also edited, a monthly London-based magazine aimed at Black people in Britain and internationally. The second issue claimed to have sold 20,000 copies in Britain and 15,000 in America. Flamingo closed in 1963.
His first book Black Britannia: The History of Blacks in Britain published in 1972, bought him "international acclaim". Black Britannia: The History of Blacks in Britain is the first book-length history of African presence in Britain.
At the time of his death in 1996, Scobie was Professor Emeritus of History in the Black Studies Department at City College of New York.
In 1998, Scobie was featured on a commemorative postage stamp, which featured portraits of five notable Dominicans who served in the RAF during World War II, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Royal Air Force.